USA Cares, Roger Stradley and Laura Bush

Almost four years ago, we started working on what USA Cares has become. I won’t go on to all of the stats and metrics of what we have accomplished with the amazing support of thousands of Americans and organizations, what I wanted to share was my ten minutes with Laura Bush, our First Lady.

After some picture taking everyone else was escorted out, leaving only me, Mrs. Bush and our Congressman, Ron Lewis and his wife, Kayi. (Okay, camera guys and Secret Service too).

Our “Map”, the one that identifies what USA Cares has done in this year of 2006 for military families was where I started. I told her about the over one hundred hearts that represented that many homes saved from foreclosure, and her eyes moistened. I also told her how we had not loaned one dollar and that we had raised almost $5 million in donations and pledges in the past one year.

I presented the First Lady the two Louisville Slugger baseball bats that had been personalized and memorialized with “Operation Slugger” when we shipped 13.5 tons of equipment to the troops in harms way this past January. She commented that they would one day reside in the “Bush Library” and I silently vowed that I would see them there one day.

I also gave her our new khaki tee-shirt with the I Care Too! Campaign and the American flag on the shoulder and she remarked that “The President will love these shirts”, (yes, we provided two for them, in long sleeve and short for her and her husband…. POTUS). I can only hope that one day we might see him out for a run in our shirt.

She asked me several questions, and was an amazingly gracious and polite. We are so fortunate to have a First Lady with so much dignity and strength. I don’t have any of the pictures, but for one old retired Soldier this was an amazing day in my life.

I am so proud of what USA Cares and the staff and volunteers have accomplished and because I know what is coming in the next few weeks and months, I can only pinch myself over and over.

While I don’t often use the term “Founder”, I can tell you having been there that March day in 2003 when I said, “Yes we can put something together to help families…” has changed my life, my families lives, and happily, the lives of thousands of our military families lives.

Roger